Tag: the-beekeeper

  • Best Jason Statham Movies of All Time Ranked

    Jason Statham attends the UK Premiere of ‘Shelter’ at Cineworld Leicester Square on January 20, 2026 in London, England. Photo: StillMoving.Net for Black Bear.
    Jason Statham attends the UK Premiere of ‘Shelter’ at Cineworld Leicester Square on January 20, 2026 in London, England. Photo: StillMoving.Net for Black Bear.

    Like Sylvester Stallone or Bruce Willis before him, Jason Statham has become one of the best and most consistent action stars working today.

    Statham began his career in the late 90s working with director Guy Ritchie on ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels‘ and ‘Snatch‘, but quickly went on to star in such action films as ‘The Transporter‘ and ‘Crank‘, before joining Stallone in ‘The Expendables‘ series, and then collaborating with Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson on the ‘Fast & Furious 6 ‘, which eventually led to ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw‘.

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    Since then, he has appeared in such popular action movies as ‘The Meg‘, ‘Wrath of Man‘, ‘A Working Man‘ and the box office hit ‘The Beekeeper‘.

    Stathan’s latest action outing, ‘Shelter‘, opens in theaters on January 30th.

    In honor of his new film, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best movies of Jason Statham’s career, including his latest.

    Let’s begin!

    Related Article: Filmmaker David Ayer Talks ‘A Working Man’ and Directing Jason Statham


    20. ‘Parker‘ (2013)

    (L to R) Jennifer Lopez and Jason Statham in 'Parker'. Photo: FilmDistrict.
    (L to R) Jennifer Lopez and Jason Statham in ‘Parker’. Photo: FilmDistrict.

    A thief (Statham) with a unique code of professional ethics is double-crossed by his crew and left for dead. Assuming a new disguise and forming an unlikely alliance with a woman (Jennifer Lopez) on the inside, he looks to hijack the score of the crew’s latest heist.

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    19. ‘Death Race‘ (2008)

    Terminal Island, New York: 2020. Overcrowding in the US penal system has reached a breaking point. Prisons have been turned over to a monolithic Weyland Corporation, which sees jails full of thugs as an opportunity for televised sport. Adrenalized inmates, a global audience hungry for violence and a spectacular, enclosed arena come together to form the ‘Death Race’, the biggest, most brutal event.

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    18. ‘Spy‘ (2015)

    A desk-bound CIA analyst (Melissa McCarthy) volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.

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    17. ‘A Working Man‘ (2025)

    Levon Cade (Statham) left behind a decorated military career in the black ops to live a simple life working construction. But when his boss’s daughter, who is like family to him, is taken by human traffickers, his search to bring her home uncovers a world of corruption far greater than he ever could have imagined.

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    16. ‘Crank‘ (2006)

    Chev Chelios (Statham), a hit man wanting to go straight, lets his latest target slip away. Then he awakes the next morning to a phone call that informs him he has been poisoned and has only an hour to live unless he keeps adrenaline coursing through his body while he searches for an antidote.

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    15. ‘Shelter‘ (2026)

    Jason Statham in 'Shelter'. Photo: Black Bear Pictures.
    Jason Statham in ‘Shelter’. Photo: Black Bear Pictures.

    Mason (Statham) lives in recluse at a remote setting by the sea. When he chooses to rescue a young girl (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) from drowning in a terrible storm, he unwittingly sets off a chain reaction that soon brings violence his way, forcing him to confront choices from his past.

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    14. ‘The Expendables‘ (2010)

    Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) leads a band of highly skilled mercenaries including knife enthusiast Lee Christmas (Statham), a martial arts expert Yin Yang (Jet Li), heavy weapons specialist Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), demolitionist Toll Road (Randy Couture), and a loose-cannon sniper Gunner Jensen (Dolph Lundgren). When the group is commissioned by the mysterious Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) to assassinate the dictator of a small South American island, Barney and Lee visit the remote locale to scout out their opposition and discover the true nature of the conflict engulfing the city.

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    13. ‘The Fate of the Furious‘ (2017)

    When a mysterious woman (Charlize Theron) seduces Dom (Vin Diesel) into the world of crime and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew face trials that will test them as never before.

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    12. ‘The Meg‘ (2018)

    A deep sea submersible pilot (Statham) revisits his past fears in the Mariana Trench, and accidentally unleashes the seventy foot ancestor of the Great White Shark believed to be extinct.

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    11. ‘Mechanic: Resurrection‘ (2016)

    Arthur Bishop (Statham) thought he had put his murderous past behind him when his most formidable foe kidnaps the love of his life (Jessica Alba). Now he is forced to travel the globe to complete three impossible assassinations, and do what he does best, make them look like accidents.

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    10. ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels‘ (1999)

    (L to R) Nick Moran, Jason Statham, Dexter Fletcher and Jason Flemyng in 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'. Photo: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.
    (L to R) Nick Moran, Jason Statham, Dexter Fletcher and Jason Flemyng in ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’. Photo: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.

    A card shark (Nick Moran) and his unwillingly-enlisted friends need to make a lot of cash quick after losing a sketchy poker match. To do this they decide to pull a heist on a small-time gang who happen to be operating out of the flat next door.

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    9. ‘The Transporter‘ (2002)

    Former Special Forces officer Frank Martin (Statham) will deliver anything to anyone for the right price, and his no-questions-asked policy puts him in high demand. But when he realizes his latest cargo is alive, it sets in motion a dangerous chain of events. The bound and gagged Lai is being smuggled to France by a shady American businessman, and Frank works to save her as his own illegal activities are uncovered by a French detective.

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    8. ‘Furious 7‘ (2015)

    Deckard Shaw (Statham) seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family for his comatose brother.

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    7. ‘The Italian Job‘ (2003)

    Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) pulled off the crime of a lifetime. The one thing that he didn’t plan on was being double-crossed. Along with a drop-dead gorgeous safecracker (Charlize Theron), Croker and his team take off to re-steal the loot and end up in a pulse-pounding, pedal-to-the-metal chase that careens up, down, above and below the streets of Los Angeles.

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    6. ‘Wrath of Man‘ (2021)

    A cold and mysterious new security guard (Statham) for a Los Angeles cash truck company surprises his co-workers when he unleashes precision skills during a heist. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.

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    5.’Homefront‘ (2013)

    Jason Statham in 'Homefront'. Photo: Open Road Films.
    Jason Statham in ‘Homefront’. Photo: Open Road Films.

    Phil Broker (Statham), a retired DEA agent, leads a quiet life with his daughter Maddy, until a school bullying incident draws them into a conflict with Morgan “Gator” Bodine (James Franco), a local crime boss.

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    4. ‘The Expendables 2‘ (2012)

    Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.

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    3. ‘Snatch‘ (2001)

    Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookies, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers, and supposedly Jewish jewellers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.

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    2. ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw‘ (2019)

    Ever since US Diplomatic Security Service Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and lawless outcast Shaw (Statham) first faced off, they just have traded smack talk and body blows. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton’s ruthless actions threaten the future of humanity, they join forces to defeat him.

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    1. ‘The Beekeeper‘ (2024)

    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper.' An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper.’ An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    In The Beekeeper, one man’s (Statham) brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as “Beekeepers”.

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  • Best Movies to Watch on New Year’s Day

    (L to R) Maurice Compte and Gerard Butler in 'Den of Thieves'. Photo: STXfilms.
    (L to R) Maurice Compte and Gerard Butler in ‘Den of Thieves’. Photo: STXfilms.

    2025 is almost over and another new year is upon us.

    And there is no  better way to spend New Year’s Day than by watching some movies!

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    Moviefone has compiled a list of some of the most popular movies ever made, including some released just this year, for you to choose from while you are relaxing on the first day of the new year.

    Let’s begin and Happy 2026!

    Related Article: 35 Best Christmas Movies to Watch this Holiday Season!


    30. ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie‘ (2023)

    'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
    ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.

    While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers—and brothers—Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.

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    29. ‘The Beekeeper‘ (2024)

    In ‘The Beekeeper’, one man’s (Jason Statham) brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as “Beekeepers”.

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    28. ‘Jurassic Park‘ (1993)

    A wealthy entrepreneur (Richard Attenborough) secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening day, he invites a team of experts (Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum) and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park and help calm anxious investors. However, the park is anything but amusing as the security systems go off-line and the dinosaurs escape.

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    27. ‘Bullitt‘ (1968)

    Senator Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) is aiming to take down mob boss Pete Ross with the help of testimony from the criminal’s hothead brother Johnny, who is in protective custody in San Francisco under the watch of police lieutenant Frank Bullitt (Steve McQueen). When a pair of mob hitmen enter the scene, Bullitt follows their trail through a maze of complications and double-crosses. This thriller includes one of the most famous car chases ever filmed.

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    26. ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)

    After the devastating events of ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.

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    25. ‘Road House‘ (2024)

    Jake Gyllenhaal stars in 'Roadhouse.' Photo: Laura Radford © Amazon Content Services LLC.
    Jake Gyllenhaal stars in ‘Roadhouse.’ Photo: Laura Radford © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Ex-UFC fighter Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.

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    24. ‘Up‘ (2009)

    Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell) gives him a new lease on life.

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    23. ‘John Wick: Chapter 4‘ (2023)

    John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

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    22. ‘Aliens‘ (1986)

    When Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) lifepod is found by a salvage crew over 50 years later, she finds that terra-formers are on the very planet they found the alien species. When the company sends a family of colonists out to investigate her story—all contact is lost with the planet and colonists. They enlist Ripley and the colonial marines to return and search for answers.

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    21. ‘Inglourious Basterds‘ (2009)

    In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl (Mélanie Laurent), who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.

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    20. ‘F1‘ (2025)

    Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ 'F1', a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ ‘F1’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Scott Garfield. Courtesy Warner Bros Pictures / Apple Original Films. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Racing legend Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver—while chasing one more chance at glory.

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    19. ‘Black Panther‘ (2018)

    King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the queen-mother (Angela Bassett), his princess-kid sister (Letitia Wright), members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan ‘special forces’) and an American secret agent (Martin Freeman), to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.

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    18. ‘Bridesmaids‘ (2011)

    Annie’s (Kristen Wiig) life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian’s (Maya Rudolph) maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she’ll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you’ll go for someone you love.

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    17. ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day‘ (1991)

    Nearly 10 years have passed since Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) was targeted for termination by a cyborg from the future. Now her son, John (Edward Furlong), the future leader of the resistance, is the target for a newer, more deadly terminator (Robert Patrick). Once again, the resistance has managed to send a protector (Arnold Schwarzenegger) back to attempt to save John and his mother Sarah.

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    16. ‘Den of Thieves‘ (2018)

    A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.

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    15. ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid‘ (1969)

    (L to R) Robert Redford and Paul Newman in 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'. Photo: 20th Century-Fox.
    (L to R) Robert Redford and Paul Newman in ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’. Photo: 20th Century-Fox.

    In late 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) is the affable, clever and talkative leader of the outlaw Hole in the Wall Gang. His closest companion is the laconic dead-shot Sundance Kid (Robert Redford). As the west rapidly becomes civilized, the law finally catches up to Butch, Sundance and their gang. Chased doggedly by a special posse, the two decide to make their way to South America in hopes of evading their pursuers once and for all.

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    14. ‘Ghostbusters‘ (1984)

    After losing their academic posts at a prestigious university, a team of parapsychologists (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis) goes into business as proton-pack-toting “ghostbusters” who exterminate ghouls, hobgoblins and supernatural pests of all stripes. An ad campaign pays off when a knockout cellist (Sigourney Weaver) hires the squad to purge her swanky digs of demons that appear to be living in her refrigerator.

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    13. ‘Avatar‘ (2009)

    In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine (Sam Worthington) is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.

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    12. ‘Oppenheimer‘ (2023)

    The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s (Cillian Murphy) role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.

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    11. ‘Any Given Sunday‘ (1999)

    A star quarterback (Dennis Quaid) gets knocked out of the game and an unknown third stringer (Jamie Foxx) is called in to replace him. The unknown gives a stunning performance and forces the ageing coach (Al Pacino) to reevaluate his game plans and life. A new co-owner/president (Cameron Diaz) adds to the pressure of winning. The new owner must prove herself in a male dominated world.

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    10. ‘Sinners‘ (2025)

    Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and Stack in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Sinners,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Michael B. Jordan as Smoke and Stack in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Sinners,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

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    9. ‘Top Gun‘ (1986)

    For Lieutenant Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his friend and co-pilot Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), being accepted into an elite training school for fighter pilots is a dream come true. But a tragedy, as well as personal demons, will threaten Pete’s dreams of becoming an ace pilot.

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    8. ‘Batman‘ (1989)

    Batman (Michael Keaton) must face his most ruthless nemesis when a deformed madman calling himself “The Joker” (Jack Nicholson) seizes control of Gotham’s criminal underworld.

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    7. ‘The Empire Strikes Back‘ (1980)

    The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda (Frank Oz). But Darth Vader (voice of James Earl Jones) is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), cocky Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew ), and droids C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.

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    6. ‘Apocalypse Now‘ (1979)

    At the height of the Vietnam war, Captain Benjamin Willard (Martin Sheen) is sent on a dangerous mission that, officially, “does not exist, nor will it ever exist.” His goal is to locate – and eliminate – a mysterious Green Beret Colonel named Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who has been leading his personal army on illegal guerrilla missions into enemy territory.

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    5. ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood‘ (2019)

    Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth in 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.' Photo: Sony Pictures.
    Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.

    Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha).

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    4. ‘Back to the Future‘ (1985)

    Eighties teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents’ first meeting and attracting his mother’s romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents’ romance and, with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), return to 1985.

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    3. ‘The Godfather‘ (1972)

    In the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando)  barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino) steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge.

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    2. ‘Barbie‘ (2023)

    Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.

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    1. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘ (2024)

    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Marvel Studios‘ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ delivers the ultimate, iconic, cinematic team-up now streaming on Disney+ and starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

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  • Emmy Raver-Lampman and More Returning for ‘The Beekeeper 2’

    Emmy Raver-Lampman as Agent Verona Parker in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Emmy Raver-Lampman as Agent Verona Parker in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Preview:

    • Emmy Raver-Lampman and Jemma Redgrave are among the returning cast for ‘The Beekeeper 2’.
    • Star Jason Statham will also be back as the skilled operative.
    • ‘Nobody 2’s Timo Tjahjanto is in the director’s chair.

    While 2024’s Jason Statham-led action thriller ‘The Beekeeper’ saw a somewhat mixed reaction from critics, there’s no denying audience embraced the star’s latest chunk of clash-happy chaos, to the tune of $162 million worldwide.

    A sequel was confirmed a while ago and, via Variety we now know that, alongside Statham, the likes of Emmy Raver-Lampman, Jemma Redgrave, Bobby Naderi and Jeremy Irons will all be back for the new movie, called, to little surprise, ‘The Beekeeper 2’.

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    There is a change behind the camera, however, as ‘Nobody 2’ director Timo Tjahjanto will take over calling the shots for David Ayer, who handled the original.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘The Beekeeper’

    What was the story of ‘The Beekeeper’?

    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper.' An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper.’ An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The 2024 original, scripted by Kurt Wimmer, saw Statham as Adam Clay, a former operative of a clandestine organization called “Beekeepers”.

    After his friend and neighbor (Phylicia Rashad) dies by suicide after falling for a phishing scam, Clay sets out to exact revenge against the company responsible.

    Raver-Lampman played Verona Parker, an FBI agent hot on Adam’s trail while Naderi was Parker’s partner, Agent Matt Wiley.

    Redgrave appeared as Jessica Danforth, the President of the United States, entangled in the deadly scheme. She was also the mother to Josh Hutcherson’s Derek Danforth, the main antagonist of the first film. Irons, meanwhile, was Wallace Westwyld, a former CIA director serving as the head of security for Danforth Enterprises.

    Wimmer has returned to write the script for the new movie, but the story is being kept in the hive for now. Mostly we’re guessing it’ll be a fresh excuse for Statham to kick a lot of butt.

    And ‘Grown-ish’s Yara Shahidi will also be part of the cast for the new movie in an unknown role.

    When will ‘The Beekeeper 2’ be on screens?

    With Miramax producing and financing and Amazon MGM Studios once more aboard to distribute worldwide, the new movie is now in production.

    We don’t have an official release date just yet, but we could see this one targeting an early-mid 2026 slot.

    (L to R) Jason Statham as Clay and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Jason Statham as Clay and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Selected Movies Starring Jason Statham:

    Buy Jason Statham Movies and TV on Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘A Working Man’

    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘A Working Man’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.

    Opening in theaters March 28 is ‘A Working Man,’ directed by David Ayer and starring Jason Statham, Jason Flemyng, Arianna Rivas, Michael Peña, and David Harbour.

    Related Article: Filmmaker David Ayer Talks ‘A Working Man’ and Directing Jason Statham

    Initial Thoughts

    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    Ford and Wayne. Scorsese and De Niro. Burton and Depp. Ayer and Statham. Well, okay, that last one doesn’t quite fit with the others, but there’s no question that director David Ayer and action star Jason Statham – working together for the second movie in a row after 2024’s surprise hit ‘The Beekeeper’ – have an intense creative connection, at least when it comes to making numbing, sadistically violent thrillers that fully embrace Ayer’s retrograde macho tendencies and Statham’s stoic, limited-range acting and admirably intense physicality.

    In fact, with a few tweaks to the screenplay (co-written by Ayer and, of all people, Sylvester Stallone, from the novel ‘Levon’s Trade’ by Chuck Dixon), ‘A Working Man’ could almost be ‘The Beekeeper 2.’ But it’s not: while ‘The Beekeeper’ was smart enough amid its overall dopiness to deploy a unique villain – those phishing robocallers who bilk unsuspecting grandmas and grandpas out of their life savings – that genuinely touched a nerve with viewers, ‘A Working Man’ falls back on two of the most overused action movie tropes of recent years: Russian gangsters and human trafficking, with a light seasoning of ‘John Wick’-style weirdness to make you think it’s more interesting than it looks. But guess what: it’s not.

    Story and Direction

    'A Working Man' director and co-writer David Ayer.
    ‘A Working Man’ director and co-writer David Ayer.

    That’s not to say we weren’t entertained by ‘A Working Man’; like ‘The Beekeeper,’ there’s something about the simplistic nature of its plot and protagonist – at least at first – that sucks us in, helped enormously by Statham’s oddball charisma and the sense that he’s playing the straight man inside his own cinematic joke. This time out, he’s former Royal Marines commando Levon Cade, whose origin story is sketched out under the opening credits: he’s done a lot of tough, sometimes bad stuff in all the world’s hot spots.

    After 22 years of service, Levon now works as a foreman for a family-owned Chicago construction company, where the owners treat him like a member of their clan. But Levon can’t quite get the rest of his life together: he’s living in his car and fighting his ex-father-in-law – who views him as dangerous — for custody of his daughter (Isla Gie), following the suicide of his wife.

    It’s because he’s trying to put that part of his life behind him that Levon is initially hesitant when his devastated boss Joe (Michael Peña) informs him that Joe’s teen daughter Jenny (Arianna Rivas) has been kidnapped during a night out with her friends and begs Levon to find her.

    Levon’s reluctance lasts about three minutes, however: after a quick check-in with his former commando buddy, Gunny (David Harbour), who’s blind and now lives out in the woods with a convenient closetful of arms (“I am your weapons sommelier,” Harbour cracks), Levon gets to work. He quickly learns that Jenny has been snatched by members of a Russian crime cartel who plan to traffic her to high-paying customers with perverted tastes.

    (L to R) Jason Statham as Levon Cade and David Harbour as Gunny Lefferty in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Jason Statham as Levon Cade and David Harbour as Gunny Lefferty in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    The rest of the movie follows a now well-worn formula as Levon blitzes his way through the Russian mob, from its foot soldiers to its captains to the boss’s sons. Also facing Levon’s wrath are a biker gang that deals drugs, a handful of rogue cops, and some genuine freaks brought in by the Russians to put Levon down (Ayer may have failed with his one superhero movie, ‘Suicide Squad,’ but his villains are getting more and more comic-booky).

    As is standard, every single bullet fired at Levon misses, while he cuts the opposition down with ruthless machine-like efficiency and barely gets roughed up or scratched. Even one sequence when he finds himself at the mercy of two foppish Russians who wear matching outfits in different colors (“It’s our brand,” one explains) lasts only for a few moments. Levon frees himself and turns them into pulp in one of the film’s best sequences, an exciting brawl in the narrow confines of a careening van that pays tribute to the classic train fight from the James Bond film ‘From Russia with Love.’

    But the deeper Levon wades into the world of ‘A Working Man,’ the less interesting it becomes. As we said earlier, the Russian villains and trafficking scheme are overused already, and Ayer’s attempts to make it weirder – such as the main Russian gangster being an almost Dracula-like figure, or the final battle taking place at a hidden casino/brothel where the oligarchal clientele dresses in finery and capes – are more head-scratching than anything else, just like the absurdly large, cartoonish moon that hovers over the film’s closing scenes.

    Still, if you’re here to just see Statham kicking butt for the better part of two hours, ‘A Working Man’ remains your jam. Despite the more generic nature of the enemy, the repetitive structure of the screenplay, and the almost callous glee Ayer seems to take in having Statham execute people in some horrible ways (the rationale, we presume, is just how gross these folks are to begin with), this is the kind of mind-free crowd-pleaser that the star has cornered the market on. When you can see it, that is: Shawn White’s cinematographer is often dark and murky, especially during the climactic battles, while the editing tends to get a little spasmodic as well during the action set pieces.

    Cast and Performances 

    (L to R) Arianna Rivas as Jenny Garcia, Michael Peña as Joe Garcia and Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Arianna Rivas as Jenny Garcia, Michael Peña as Joe Garcia and Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    Sure, there’s a cast here and it even includes some name players, but Jason Statham is front and center as always – even if Levon, for all his problems, has no discernible character arc. Like Adam Clay from ‘The Beekeeper,’ he’s outraged by injustice and loyal to a fault, but once he’s committed to his mission, there are no longer any doubts or conflicts and he more or less finishes the film in the same place he started it.

    Statham is a little more stone-faced here than he was in ‘The Beekeeper,’ although we do actually get to see him smile once or twice, particularly in the scenes with Levon’s daughter. About that, though: while Statham can kick the crap out of people convincingly all day long, he just doesn’t have the bandwidth to generate true fatherly warmth, as hard as he tries.

    As for everyone else, the reliably quirky David Harbour and Michael Peña are wasted in too-brief appearances, with the latter disappearing after the first act and only showing up again briefly at the end (there’s also something vaguely racist with Ayer’s portrayal of Peña’s extended Latino family, who all seem to live in the same house together).

    A potentially fun reunion between Statham and his ‘Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels’ mate Jason Flemyng is also woefully cut short, as Statham has many more members of the Russian crime world to plow through. Arianna Rivas’ Jenny explains in some helpful early exposition that her uncle taught her how to fight, so at least she does get to refreshingly push back against her captors. As for those captors, and the armies of Russian mafia soldiers that seem to endlessly crawl out of the woodwork, they range from “over-the-top” to “automaton,” with all of them having the personalities of characters in a first-person shooter.

    Final Thoughts

    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    In a way, ‘A Working Man’ is the cinematic equivalent of a first-person shooter, except you can see your avatar and it looks just like Jason Statham. And while the game can be fun while you’re playing it, you forget all about it as soon as you turn the machine off.

    ‘A Working Man’ (and other Statham movies) are just like that: a cathartic way to watch hordes of bad guys get killed, only with a slight seasoning of vague social commentary and the notion that Levon Cade or Adam Clay or whatever Statham is called this time has righteousness on his side. In David Ayer, he’s found the perfect partner to get the job done.

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    What is the plot of ‘A Working Man’?

    Levon Cade (Jason Statham), an ex-Royal Marines commando, leads a peaceful life as a construction worker in Chicago. However, Levon is forced to use his old set of skills to find his boss’s teenaged daughter Jenny (Arianna Rivas), who had been kidnapped by human traffickers, and soon uncovers a conspiracy of corruption and government agents’ involvement in human trafficking.

    Who is in the cast of ‘A Working Man’?

    • Jason Statham as Levon Cade
    • David Harbour as Gunny Lefferty
    • Michael Peña as Joe Garcia
    • Jason Flemyng as Wolo Kolisnyk
    • Arianna Rivas as Jenny Garcia
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    List of Movies Written or Directed by David Ayer:

    Buy Tickets: ‘A Working Man’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Jason Statham Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘A Working Man’ Exclusive Interview: Director David Ayer

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    Opening in theaters on March 28th is the new action thriller ‘A Working Man’, which is based on the novel ‘Levon’s Trade’ by Chuck Dixon, and was directed by David Ayer (‘Suicide Squad’), based on a screenplay co-written by Ayer and Sylvester Stallone (‘Rocky’).

    The movie reunites Ayer with his ‘The Beekeeper’ star Jason Statham (‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’), and also stars David Harbour (‘Black Widow’), Michael Peña (‘Ant-Man’), and Jason Flemyng (‘X-Men: First Class’).

    Related Article: Josh Hutcherson and Director David Ayer Talk ‘The Beekeeper’

    'A Working Man' director and co-writer David Ayer.
    ‘A Working Man’ director and co-writer David Ayer.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director and co-writer David Ayer about his work on ‘A Working Man’, writing with Sylvester Stallone, adapting Chuck Dixon’s novel, why he likes working with Jason Statham, and his philosophy behind shooting action sequences.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone: To begin with, talk about the development of this screenplay and how did the writing process work between you and Sylvester Stallone?

    David Ayer: It is funny how life has these circles. As a kid I saw ‘Rocky’ and it made me want to work out and learn to box. But as a young writer, once I heard the story of how he had written the script and been so protective of it and ultimately got the film made the way he wanted on his terms, that inspired me to do the same thing with ‘Training Day’, which came together like a dream for me. Then when the opportunity came up to work with him, when I got this script with his name on it, it just made a lot of sense. I mean, here’s this ’80s action icon, this legend who really understands action. So, the script had a great starting point for me. Then to bring Jason Statham into that, who is really the inheritor of that action tradition from the ’80s and ’90s. I mean, you just don’t have icons like that in the action space like Jason. So, it just felt like a great team up.

    MF: Were you a fan of the ‘Levon’s Trade’ before joining this project, and did you read any of the other novels in the series to get a feel the character?

    DA: I did. Chuck’s one of those old school, two-fisted writers. He writes action. He writes hard characters. So, it just makes a lot of sense to take his work and bring it into the action cinema space.

    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Can you talk about the challenges of adapting the book and what were some of the elements you wanted to make sure you included, and what were some of the things that you wanted to avoid?

    DA: Well, the idea of this veteran, this highly capable military guy who, like anybody, has now changed his life and he’s working in construction and works for this family and is forced by circumstances to go back and do the thing he’s left. This life he’s left behind, he must turn to it again. So those elements were solidly in the book. Then for me it was just really making sure that the family he was helping was really defined and we love them. When we see Jason smile it just lights up the screen. I wanted to give him a grounded family life that the audience could connect with and really root for when it comes time for him to go to war.

    MF: Obviously you worked with Jason Statham on ‘The Beekeeper’, so what do you enjoy about directing him?

    DA: Jason shows up to work and he’s really demanding, and he pushes me and I push him. Now that I know him and know what he’s capable of, I mean doing the fight choreography, we’re really connected on that. He does his own stunts, which means I don’t have to cut away to a stunt guy for things. You get to design and build the shots around him and what he’s actually doing. So that’s a treat. You don’t normally get that. I mean, that’s absolutely exceptional. Then, I learned on ‘Beekeeper’ that he has a really big heart and when he brings that heart to a scene, there’s nothing like it. I feel like he hasn’t had that opportunity as much as he should. So again, to just see him in this family environment and see him smile and laugh, and to see him be a dad and to see him struggle with the things we struggle in our daily lives, there’s something so grounding about that that then makes the action play even better.

    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, as a director, can you talk a little bit about your philosophy behind action, your style, and how you specifically wanted to execute the action sequences in this movie?

    DA: I think my action style just simply comes down to telling a story with the action and telling a character-based story. So, I think of it as character-based action. How would this character fight? How does he react? How does he move? How does he use the objects around him? How does he use weapons and what’s he after? When he is on the back foot, how does he react? That’s where good action comes from, is making us care about the character inside of the action.

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    What is the plot of ‘A Working Man’?

    Levon Cade (Jason Statham), an ex-Royal Marines commando, leads a peaceful life as a construction worker in Chicago. However, Levon is forced to use his old set of skills to find his boss’s teenaged daughter Jenny (Arianna Rivas), who had been kidnapped by human traffickers, and soon uncovers a conspiracy of corruption and government agents’ involvement in human trafficking.

    Who is in the cast of ‘A Working Man’?

    • Jason Statham as Levon Cade
    • David Harbour as Gunny Lefferty
    • Michael Peña as Joe Garcia
    • Jason Flemyng as Wolo Kolisnyk
    • Arianna Rivas as Jenny Garcia
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer's 'A Working Man'. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Jason Statham as Levon Cade in director David Ayer’s ‘A Working Man’. An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Dan Smith © 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    List of Movies Written or Directed by David Ayer:

    Buy Tickets: ‘A Working Man’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy David Ayer Movies on Amazon

     

     

  • Brad Pitt to Star in and Produce ‘Heart of the Beast’

    Brad Pitt poses backstage with the Oscar® for Actor In A Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020. Credit/Provider: Nick Agro / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Brad Pitt poses backstage with the Oscar® for Actor In A Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020. Credit/Provider: Nick Agro / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Brad Pitt will star in and produce ‘Heart of the Beast.’
    • It marks a reunion with his ‘Fury’ director David Ayer.
    • The story will see him as a soldier trying to survive after a plane crash.

    Back in 2014, David Ayer wrote and directed ‘Fury,’ a World War II action movie about a grizzled tank commander who must make tough decisions as he and his crew fight their way across Germany in April 1945.

    The film starred Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña and Jon Bernthal as the crew, led by one William Bradley “Brad” Pitt.

    Clearly, Pitt had enough of a good time working with Ayer that the two are now teaming back up –– albeit 11 years later –– for a new movie, this time a survival drama called ‘Heart of the Beast,’ to which Ayer has been attached since last year.

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    According to Deadline, Paramount has snagged Pitt’s services to both star and co-produce the movie via his Plan B company.

    What’s the story of ‘Heart of the Beast’?

    Brad Pitt in 'Fury'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    Brad Pitt in ‘Fury’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    Written by Cameron Alexander (who is more known as a music video director), ‘Heart of the Beast’ follows a former Army Special Forces Soldier and his retired combat dog who battle for survival after a plane crash deep in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness.

    Also on the behind-the-scenes team for the movie is ‘La La Land’ and ‘Babylon’ director Damien Chazelle, who signed a first-look deal with Paramount last year and will produce through his Wild Chickens banner, which he runs with wife and fellow filmmaker Olivia Hamilton.

    What else is David Ayer working on?

    Director David Ayer talks 'The Beekeeper.'
    Director David Ayer talks ‘The Beekeeper.’

    Ayer, who has been campaigning for years to get his director’s cut of 2016 superhero outing ‘Suicide Squad’ out into the world, has otherwise been keeping busy directing the likes of ‘Bright,’ ‘The Tax Collector’ and last year’s surprisingly successful ‘The Beekeeper,’ which starred Jason Statham as a former member of a shadowy group known as the Beekeepers, who are brought in for extraordinary missions.

    Ayer and Statham have already teamed back up for a new offering, ‘A Working Man,’ which will see the actor playing a retired counter-terrorism expert who now works in construction, but who calls upon his particular set of skills when a local girl goes missing.

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    That movie will be in theaters on March 28th.

    What else is Brad Pitt involved with?

    Brad Pitt in 'F1'. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Brad Pitt in ‘F1’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

    Pitt was most recently seen in Apple TV+ movie ‘Wolfs’ opposite old friend George Clooney. Directed by Jon Watts, the film saw Pitt and Clooney as two lone-wolf fixers who are forced to team up on the same job.

    The film was controversially given an extremely limited one-week cinema release before showing up on the company’s streaming service, and despite performing well there, the rumored follow-up has quietly gone away.

    Despite that, he’ll be back on screens this June in ‘F1,’ the Joseph Kosinski-directed movie about a Formula 1 racing driver who comes out of retirement to coach a younger driver –– only to get back behind the wheel himself.

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    That movie boasts a giant $300 million budget and has been shooting at various Formula 1 races around the world. It should be in cinemas for a little bit longer than ‘Wolfs’…

    The actor is also aboard Jeff Nichols’ next film, ‘Land of Opportunity’ and has a wealth of other potential projects on his to-do list.

    One is a possible reunion with Clooney for another film in the ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ franchise, which recently got some added forward momentum with director David Leitch starting talks to handle the movie. If it comes together, the new ‘Oceans’ movie would see Pitt reuniting with his ‘Bullet Train’ filmmaker.

    Related Article: ‘Bullet Train’ and ‘The Fall Guy’ Director in Talks to Roll the Dice on ‘Ocean’s Fourteen’

    Brad Pitt and Ziggy Marley attend the Los Angeles Premiere of "Bob Marley: One Love" at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024.
    (L to R) Brad Pitt and Ziggy Marley attend the Los Angeles Premiere of “Bob Marley: One Love” at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.

    Outside of his acting work, Pitt, though his company, was an executive producer on recent cinematic titles including ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ and ‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ as well as RaMell Ross’s ‘Nickel Boys,’ adapted by Amazon from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, which yesterday landed Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

    Coming up, he’ll also carry the same producer title on Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mickey 17,’ which releases on March 7th following a Berlin Film Festival premiere, as well as the upcoming ‘Hedda,’ Nia DaCosta’s feature take on the Henrik Ibsen play for Orion.

    When will ‘Heart of the Beast’ be in theaters?

    With filming yet to start, Paramount hasn’t handed out a release date for ‘Heart of the Beast’ just yet. It may well depend on Pitt’s schedule as for when it’s ready to head to theaters.

    Director David Ayer on the set of Netflix's 'Bright.' Photo: Matt Kennedy.
    Director David Ayer on the set of Netflix’s ‘Bright.’ Photo: Matt Kennedy.

    Other David Ayer Movies:

    Buy David Ayer Movies on Amazon

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  • Where To Watch David Ayer’s Action Thriller ‘The Beekeeper’

    Jason Statham as Clay and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Jason Statham as Clay and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    There’s more than meets the eye in the word ‘The Beekeeper.’

    In the Jason Statham-led action thriller, it isn’t just about someone who tends to the bees but about a powerful and clandestine organization known as the “Beekeepers.” When Adam Clay’s client and friend fall for a phishing scam that leads to her suicide, the former operative sets out to bring her death to justice.

    The film is helmed by ‘Suicide Squad’ director David Ayer and stars Jason Statham as Adam Clay. Starring alongside Statham are Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Jeremy Irons, Jemma Redgrave, Minnie Driver, and Phylicia Rashad.

    Where Can I Watch ‘Beekeeper’?

    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper.'
    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper.’ An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The movie premiered on January 10, 2024, in London at Leicester Square, released in the United States on January 12, 2024. ‘Beekeeper’s theatrical release included showings in IMAX and Dolby Cinema for audiences to get a more immersive experience. The David Ayer action thriller has grossed over $63 million domestically and over $149.6 million worldwide.

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Beekeeper’ Movie Showtimes

    ‘Beekeeper’ has a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. If you missed the movie in theaters, don’t worry. As of January 30, 2024, it is available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. Prices range from $19.99 for rental or $24.99 for purchase.

    Buy ‘The Beekeeper’ Movie on Amazon

    Since the film was released under MGM, it will likely end up streaming for free on Prime Video subscribers. However, no official streaming date has been announced by the studio or Prime Video. If you’re a Sky Cinema subscriber, the movie will be available to watch at no additional cost on March 8.

    Where to Watch and Stream: ‘The Beekeeper’ Online

    Jason Statham as Adam Clay

    Director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham on the set of 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham on the set of ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Director David Ayer leans into the mythology behind bees – the idea of taking care of and protecting the hive and turning it into how a powerful secret organization would operate. The director also found Statham to be the perfect actor to express that mythology. With that, Ayer used the opportunity to try something different from his usual dark drama style

    “When I read this script, it was this fascinating look into the world of the beekeepers. It was the right amount of, just enough to know what’s going on, and not so much that you don’t lose the magic and mystery of it. In that script, I saw an amazing role for Jason, he came attached to it, but also, I saw an opportunity for me to do something a little bit different. It’s really a classic action, escapist, thrill ride. Normally I do a lot of dark drama, and so to have the opportunity to make a fun movie that I know an audience is going to love was something I couldn’t say no to.”

    We’ve seen Statham in plenty of action movies, everything from the ‘Transporter’ franchise to ‘Fast & Furious.’ Aside from delivering on the action front, Statham is the kind of actor who can make any dialogue work – even ones that feel a bit over-the-top or ridiculous.

    In ‘Beekeeper’, you’ll see plenty of Jason Statham putting his martial arts skills to use as he sets out to take down the Danforth corporation. Ayer worked with stunt coordinator Jeremy Marinas on the film and mentions that Statham does his own stunts, “you present him a scene, he’s the guy that’s going to do everything, and he has a loud vote, he has a voice.”

    “So, we had this great stunt coordinator and choreographer, Jeremy Marinas, who comes from the 87eleven school, and his understanding of human kinetics and how people just move was educational for me. Then with Jason, I mean, he’s an action icon, he’s a legend. He does his own stunts, so it’s interesting because you present him a scene, he’s the guy that’s going to do everything, and he has a loud vote, he has a voice. He’s probably forgotten more about action than I’ve ever known. So, it was really challenging, I always bring my A game to set and Jason taught me that there’s an A+ game when it comes to action.”

    Watch the official trailers for ‘Beekeeper’ below:

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    The official synopsis for ‘Beekeeper’ is below:

    In The Beekeeper, one man’s brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as “Beekeepers”.

    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer's 'The Bekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer’s ‘The Bekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other David Ayer Movies:

    To watch our exclusive interviews with the cast and crew of ‘The Beekeeper,’ please click on the video player below.

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  • Movie Review: ‘The Beekeeper’

    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper.'
    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper.’ An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on January 12th, ‘The Beekeeper’ is the latest tough guy outing for Jason Statham, playing another variant on his former-intelligence-operative-called-back-into-action character that appears to make up half of his cinematic resume.

    But does this new film, directed by David Ayer (‘Suicide Squad’, ‘Fury’) make for a worthwhile addition to that canon? The answer might depend on whether you have a tolerance for the most basic version of this movie.

    Does ‘The Beekeeper’ bring the honey?

    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer's 'The Bekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer’s ‘The Bekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘The Beekeeper’ exists in one of those movie worlds where former intelligence operatives are all over the place and there is a massive conspiracy to be sorted out. And one where Statham grimaces his way through the emotional moments and lets loose during the set pieces. For the most part, though, ‘The Beekeeper’ is found wanting.

    This stretches credibility so many times, your enjoyment level is likely to sink quickly as the movie uses the same tired action beats and flies towards an extremely predictable outcome. With this type of outing, you need a truly outstanding layer over the basic concept to make it work, and again, on that front ‘The Beekeeper’ lacks any real sting.

    ‘The Beekeeper’: Script and Direction

    Director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham on the set of 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham on the set of ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The script for this one comes from Kurt Wimmer, whose name is likely to give plenty of people pause. While there is plenty of love for some of his previous work –– ‘Equilibrium’, for example, even if it pushes far into ridiculous places as it goes along –– he’s been responsible for some truly dreadful scripts in the past, including ‘Ultraviolet’ and the remakes of ‘Point Break’ and ‘Total Recall’.

    If you’re no fan of Wimmer’s work, ‘The Beekeeper’ is unlikely to move the needle into a positive zone since it features some utterly dumb dialogue and situations. Lines such as “if there was a back entrance, I’d have used it” are likely to make you laugh more than engage with the action.

    And don’t get us started on the multiple, honestly exhausting uses of bee terminology. Every single character, it seems, says some version of “protect the hive” or “queen bee” and if you were to start a drinking game for each time someone says a bee-related word, you’d fall out of your chair completely out of your gourd by roughly 30 minutes in. Which might be the best way to experience this movie.

    Emmy Raver-Lampman as Agent Verona Parker in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Emmy Raver-Lampman as Agent Verona Parker in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    As for Ayer, who has proved he knows how to make action movies in the past (there are plenty of people who still want to see his version of ‘Suicide Squad’ after the studio reportedly edited its own version), but here he’s strictly on autopilot.

    The set pieces are perfectly adequate, but how many times can you watch Jason Statham act like a human bulldozer, ploughing through baddies who stand in his way. We don’t know if it’s in his contract that he must always look like a total badass, but here none of the people who stand in his way prove to be much of a threat until one near the end. It’s like watching someone play a video game on the easiest mode, which just becomes numbing after a while.

    ‘The Beekeeper’: Performances

    Jason Statham as Clay and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Jason Statham as Clay and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    We mentioned above about Statham’s character, and the actor plays him just like every other role of this sort. You could interchange him with the Transporter, ‘The Expendables’ Lee Christmas or Chev Chelios from ‘Crank’ (and even both ‘Crank’ movies had some gonzo action to make up for him). Here, he goes through the motions with all the charisma of a garden gnome, clearly uncomfortable in quieter character moments such as those with co-star Phylicia Rashad at the start. When it comes to the action, he’s always been competent, but just offers up his usual martial arts style, kicking and punching his way through swathes of villains and henchmen.

    Even when we’re asked to believe that Statham; Adam Clay is an inventive badass, that only goes so far. Sure, the script gives him one or two cool moments, but they’re still few and far between. And don’t get us started on his standard accent, which is mostly British but does venture towards the States occasionally. The movie does at least nod to that, with the revelation that Clay was born there, but it makes it no less ridiculous.

    Josh Hutcherson stars as Derek Danforth in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' An Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Josh Hutcherson stars as Derek Danforth in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Beyond Statham, there is a gaggle of British actors slapping on slightly fake American accents to play the baddies, including such respected thespians as Jeremy Irons and Jemma Redgrave who are clearly in it for a mortgage payment more than a satisfying acting gig. And pity poor Minnie Driver, who pops up for one scene that could have been given to anyone to play. Was she in the movie more before the editing stage? It’s a mystery.

    Josh Hutcherson tries to make a stock spoiled rich guy role work, but he rarely makes an impact, while it’s left to Emmy Raver-Lampman, who understood assignment, to bring some life to her dedicated FBI character, who at least has a hint of character motivation.

    ‘The Beekeeper’: Final Thoughts

    ‘The Beekeeper’ is likely to be viewed in the “so bad it’s good” category, something to throw on if you and your friends want to have fun mocking it. But it falls short of the “it’s good part” too often to really be one we can recommend.

    This is less a bee-movie, more a D-movie.

    ‘The Beekeeper’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Beekeeper’?

    Adam Clay (Jason Statham) is a former operative of a clandestine organization called “Beekeepers”. After his friend and neighbor (Phylicia Rashad) dies by suicide after falling for a phishing scam, Clay sets out to exact revenge against the company responsible.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Beekeeper’?

    Jeremy Irons stars as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Jeremy Irons stars as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other David Ayer Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Beekeeper’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy David Ayer Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘The Beekeeper’ Interview: Josh Hutcherson and David Ayer

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    Opening in theaters on January 12th is the new action thriller ‘The Beekeeper,’ which was directed by David Ayer (‘End of Watch,’ ‘Suicide Squad’) and stars Jason Statham (‘Expend4bles’), Josh Hutcherson (‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’) and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons (‘Justice League’).

    Josh Hutcherson and director David Ayer talk 'The Beekeeper.'
    (L to R) Josh Hutcherson and director David Ayer talk ‘The Beekeeper.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Josh Hutcherson and director David Ayer about their work on ‘The Beekeeper,’ their first reaction to the screenplay, exploring the mythology of the Beekeepers, Ayer’s approach to the action sequences, Hutcherson’s wild character, and working with Jeremy Irons and Jason Statham.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interviews.

    Director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham on the set of 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham on the set of ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone: To begin with, David, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and the opportunity to explore the mythology of the Beekeepers?

    David Ayer: I mean, you nailed it right there. When I read this script, it was this fascinating look into the world of the beekeepers. It was the right amount of, just enough to know what’s going on, and not so much that you don’t lose the magic and mystery of it. In that script, I saw an amazing role for Jason, he came attached to it, but also, I saw an opportunity for me to do something a little bit different. It’s really a classic action, escapist, thrill ride. Normally I do a lot of dark drama, and so to have the opportunity to make a fun movie that I know an audience is going to love was something I couldn’t say no to.

    MF: The allegory of the movie seems to be that the Danforth Corporation has kicked the hornet’s nest, and Adam Clay (Statham) is the bee that is going to sting them. Do you agree with that?

    DA: That’s it. There’s a lot of cool allegories and this very interesting mythology behind bees, and this idea of taking care of the hive, taking care of society, protecting the hive and protecting society. Jason was the perfect person to express that mythology because he is so iconic, and he does feel so larger than life that it really helps elevate this movie into something I think none of us were expecting. It’s hard to make a movie, and it’s hard to make a good movie, and you never know how these things are going to come together. I trusted the script and I trusted Jason and I trusted myself, because again, it’s like a new language for me, like a real true genre picture that’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. To find those new muscles as a director was a fantastic exercise for me.

    Josh Hutcherson stars as Derek Danforth in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' An Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Josh Hutcherson stars as Derek Danforth in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Josh, what was your first reaction to reading about your character in the script? Why did you want to play him and what was your approach?

    Josh Hutcherson: When I first read this script and read a bit about Derek, I was surprised that I was the person that they were calling. It’s a departure for me. He’s a scumbag. He’s a very powerful, rich crypto bro who is out of his mind on drugs and alcohol and just spiraling. I jumped at the bit to play it. I think that it was something for me that was a big departure and really taking a swing at something different. It was so much fun to do. As far as the approach goes, I mean, David and I just had a lot of conversations about who is Derek at his core, what does he really want, what’s his life been like with his mom, with his dad and his money? We landed on this idea that he’s wildly insecure and trying to prove to his family that he is powerful, and that he is valuable. Because he’s never had to deal with any consequences his entire life, and had no accountability for anything, it creates a monster. As the film progresses and the walls start closing in on him, he becomes more and more unhinged and out of control.

    MF: Can you talk about the illegal business that your character oversees and how it affects his family?

    JH: He has this little side business that he’s set up that basically is a call center, multiple call centers, that go and scam, especially elderly people out of their savings and bank accounts. It’s a nasty business. It’s gross. I think that in my mind, how I justified him starting this business is that it’s twofold. One is that he’s doing it out of a sense of rebellion because he must live a certain kind of life and keep things clean because of his family situation. Then the other part is I think that he, and this happens a lot, I think, when people have so much money, they dehumanize people, and you don’t view them as actual human beings. So, I think those two factors allowed him to create this thing that turns into an absolute monster.

    Jason Statham as Clay and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    (L to R) Jason Statham as Clay and Jeremy Irons as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: David, can you talk about the unusual partnership that Derek and Wallace have together and working with Josh and Jeremy Irons?

    DA: Josh is a real actor and just, I have to say it, Derek is not Josh, he’s playing a role, that’s not who he is in real life. He’s a very nice guy. To take this wild, crazy character with the green jackets and the snakeskin and the crazy hair and then pair him with Wallace Westwyld as envisioned by Jeremy Irons, it’s a great alchemy. It’s a great relationship they have, and it helps make the bad guy world a lot more fun.

    MF: Wallace seems reluctant to help Derek with his Beekeeper problem. Was the character written that way originally, or is that something Jeremy Irons brought to the role?

    DA: It’s something we worked on with Jeremy and it was also in the script too, this idea of, what happens when you get compromised, what happens when you say yes to the wrong thing, and then do you have to keep saying yes? If you do, what does that mean? You can feel that he knows what is happening isn’t right, but you can also feel how trapped he is by the circumstances.

    Related Article: Jason Statham to Star for Director David Ayer in ‘Levon’s Trade’, Written by Sylvester Stallone

    Jeremy Irons stars as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Jeremy Irons stars as Wallace Westwyld in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Josh, how would you describe Derek’s relationship with Wallace?

    JH: Jeremy Irons plays Wallace Westwyld, and he’s kind of like Derek’s right-hand man sort of. He does Derek’s bidding, protects him in ways too. He’s a former CIA director, and now he’s kind of been placed here to watch after me, but I treat him like absolute garbage. I’m a total douchebag to him. It’s a fun dynamic, especially, I mean, having Jeremy Irons be this guy that I’m treating like trash. It was a lot of fun. It’s a very good dynamic. David gave me a lot of space to play and improv and kind of throw a bunch of stuff at him, so we had a good time.

    MF: Most of your scenes in the film are with Jeremy Irons, what was he like to have him as a scene partner?

    JH: He’s amazing. I mean, he’s just got such a weight to him, and his voice and his presence is just intense. But he’s the nicest guy, very funny, and very relaxed. But when they say action, he turns it on, and he clicks it into gear.

    MF: Josh, what was your experience like being on a David Ayer set and working with him as a director?

    JH: David runs an amazing set. He’s extremely collaborative. He works very fast, and he really marries the worlds of action and choreography and stunt work and big set pieces with more intimate, personal, grounded character stuff. He does that incredibly. For me, having the confidence with myself to play this character that’s so different for me, I needed to just give myself over to it and trust David and let my instincts kind of take me to where they may. It worked out. I loved working with David. He’s fantastic.

    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer's 'The Beekeeper.'
    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer’s ‘The Beekeeper.’ An Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: David, can you talk about crafting the action sequences and working with Jason Statham?

    DA: So, we had this great stunt coordinator and choreographer, Jeremy Marinas, who comes from the 87eleven school, and his understanding of human kinetics and how people just move was educational for me. Then with Jason, I mean, he’s an action icon, he’s a legend. He does his own stunts, so it’s interesting because you present him a scene, he’s the guy that’s going to do everything, and he has a loud vote, he has a voice. He’s probably forgotten more about action than I’ve ever known. So, it was really challenging, I always bring my A game to set and Jason taught me that there’s an A+ game when it comes to action.

    MF: Finally, Josh, you don’t have many scenes in the movie with Jason Statham. Did it feel at times like you were making two separate movies?

    JH: The truth is, I think I only have one scene with Jason in the entire movie. But just watching him, because there were many days where I was around and they were shooting other things, just watching him work, the guy he doesn’t miss. He’s so on top of it and consistent, professional and the choreography that he keeps in his head, and the fact that he’s able to do that, and have his lines and nail his mark every time. He’s a fine, fine, fine-tuned machine.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Beekeeper’?

    Adam Clay (Jason Statham) is a former operative of a clandestine organization called “Beekeepers”. After his friend and neighbor (Phylicia Rashad) dies by suicide after falling for a phishing scam, Clay sets out to exact revenge against the company responsible.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Beekeeper’?

    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer's 'The Bekeeper,' an Amazon MGM Studios film.
    Jason Statham stars as Clay in director David Ayer’s ‘The Bekeeper,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other David Ayer Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Beekeeper’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy David Ayer Movies on Amazon

     

  • Jason Statham Starring in ‘Levon’s Trade’

    Jason Statham as Jonas in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and CMC Pictures’ sci-fi action thriller “Meg 2: The Trench,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Jason Statham as Jonas in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and CMC Pictures’ sci-fi action thriller “Meg 2: The Trench,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Preview

    • Jason Statham will reunite with ‘The Beekeeper’ director David Ayer.
    • Statham plays a former black ops soldier trying to forge a new life.
    • Sylvester Stallone wrote the script for the movie.

    Action tough nut Jason Statham and outspoken director David Ayer clearly got along making their upcoming action thriller ‘The Beekeeper’. According to Deadline, they’re already looking to team up again for a new film.

    And though it sounds like the new project, ‘Levon’s Trade’, will share some distinct sensibilities (both feature the story of a man who left a life of violence behind for a quieter existence, only to be drawn back into taking out bad guys), Ayer will surely find some way for the new movie to be different.

    What’s the story of ‘Levon’s Trade’?

    Jason Statham as Lee Christmas in 'The Expendables 4.'
    Jason Statham as Lee Christmas in ‘The Expendables 4.’

    The movie will chart how Levon Cade (Statham) left his past behind him to go ‘straight’ and work in construction. He wants to live a simple life and be a good father to his daughter.

    But when his boss’s teenage daughter Jenny vanishes, he’s called upon to re-employ the skills that made him a legendary figure in the shadowy world of black ops. His hunt for the missing college student takes him deep into the heart of a sinister criminal conspiracy creating a chain reaction that will threaten his new way of life.

    ‘Levon’s Trade’ has its origins in a book by Chuck Dixon.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Expend4bles’

    Who wrote the ‘Levon’s Trade’ script?

    Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in 'The Expendables 4.'
    Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross in ‘The Expendables 4.’

    ‘Levon’s Trade’ has an even more famous name behind its script –– and it marks the other reunion for Statham. Sylvester Stallone, who guided and starred in ‘The Expendables’ franchise (which Statham now mostly leads) adapted the script from Dixon’s book.

    It’s a title in which Stallone has showed interest before; the book is the first of eleven in the popular Levon Cade thriller series. Stallone’s Balboa Productions previously developed the project as a TV series.

    Stallone has quite a history of screenwriting –– he was nominated for an Oscar for 1976’s ‘Rocky’ and most recently scripted ‘Rambo: Last Blood’.

    Producer Bill Block, whose company BlockFilm is backing the new movie, had this to say about it:

    “I am thrilled to be reuniting with some of my most talented and longstanding partners on ‘Levon’s Trade’. I first worked with David Ayer on ‘Fury’ and it was immediately clear that he is a director at the very top of his game. Jason and I have worked together on a number of films, and most recently the three of us collaborated on ‘The Beekeeper’. ‘Levon’s Trade’ is going to be another spectacular action movie and I’m confident we’ve assembled the dream team to bring the first novel in this celebrated series to the big screen.”

    When will ‘Levon’s Trade’ be in theaters?

    Given the fact that ‘Levon’s Trade’ hasn’t even started shooting yet (it’s aiming for a March start in London next year) and has its rights on sale at the AFM market this week, the movie does not yet have a release date.

    ‘The Beekeeper’, meanwhile, will be out on January 12th.

    Director David Ayer on the set of Netflix's 'Bright.'
    Director David Ayer on the set of Netflix’s ‘Bright.’ Photo: Matt Kennedy.

    Other David Ayer Movies:

    Buy David Ayer Movies on Amazon